


after

by Anonymous



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Animated Movie, BatCat Week, F/M, Ficlet, Gotham by Gaslight - Freeform, One-sho, fav. underrated moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 08:39:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16594556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Bruce and Selina attend the mayor's gala to celebrate Jack the Ripper is finally gone.





	after

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Gotham by Gaslight (2018)
> 
> batcat week day 7: fav. underrated moment

The sun cast its soft rays down upon the clouds of billowing smoke, turning them into all the possible colours, he knew it was still the cloud of smoke left from the fire but it looked beautiful. It looked like a painting, like a different city. 

They were still at gala at the Mayor’s house, celebrating that Gotham was safer now that Jack the Ripper was gone but there was something that lingered in the air. The feeling of uneasiness, of fear, of death. It was hard trying to go back to the Gotham society and pretend everything was alright. Bruce was torn into pieces by the betrayal of his friend, the burning down of the World’s Fair, Sister Leslie’s death. It all happened so quickly he barely had any time to take it in.

Most of all the arrival of Jason, Dick and Tim. He did not seek to be a father, he just wanted to guide them to a better path. With Sister Leslie dead, the orphans had nowhere to go. And there was something, when he looked in their eyes, he could see himself. Alone. Lost. Afraid. There he was reflected in the eyes of those three kids, kneeling by his father and mother as blood pooled around him.

He could not let them go. So he took them in. Which the more he thought about, the more reckless it seemed. Alfred was much better than him with them. He simply did not know what to say or what to do. It kept him up at night. Selina had been more of help than he had originally expected or intended.

They had been spending a lot of time together; simply because he felt like she understood him. Something drew him to her. However, it wasn’t easy either- most of Gotham’s elite had been talking about them, a famous performer and a billionaire seen together with three kids, sure gave them something to gossip about. 

So most of their encounters had been secret, sneaking around. This was the first time they had officially been seen together which had drawn more attention than necessary. 

"Too much?" Selina asked from behind him.

"Just needed fresh air," he said turning around.

Her hair was up in an intricate updo and she wore a mulberry skirt adorned with numerous embroideries that she had chosen for the event but she removed her top part, the white chemisette underneath was covered in a red stain. 

"What happened?" he asked.

"Someone spilled wine on me. I don’t think it was by mistake." He knew Gotham's society could be... challenging. He knew not everyone believed her story. It was her word and Batman's against the good will of an officer.

He placed his frock coat around her shoulders.

“It always looked better on you anyway,” he said.

“Who knew men clothes would be my style,” she replied with a smile, remembering the first time they met. Her eyes were steady looking at the horizon, face aglow with the last golden rays before twilight beckons the stars. He smiled too, thinking that maybe they could get through this together.


End file.
